Barking

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Originally posted by [email protected]
My name is Hugo and I am a retired behavior specialist. I can help
but I should have more information . Is your dog confined to a yard or put on a tether in the yard or in front of the house .
It has taken him a long time to learn this bad habit and it will take time and patience to break him of it. Try something that
works for me , it may seam cruel but it is a valid way of making
a point that your dog will understand . When he barks wrap
some masking tape around his mussel and leave it there for
Two or three hours, make sure that you do not interfear with
his breathing . You may have to do this several times it will not
cure the problem overnight. Eventually all you will have to do
when he barks is show him the tape. If this dose not work his
problem may be deeper rooted and I will require more history
but I am sure that we can find a answer to your problem .
Good luck . Hugo

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We have a invisiable fence and have had almost since we got it. He does spend time outside alone to do his business in morning, but if we are home and the weather is good(wisconsin) we are out with him alot. plus he does get to go for a walk seveal times a week. Duct tape sound kind of drastic. Tried the bark collar, did not work. Still yelling at him to stop. Endless.......:mad:

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Originally posted by aly
I ... my mouth is hanging open and I have no words. That is one of the most disturbing things I have ever read on this site. That is abuse in my book. I can't even sugar coat it.

PLEASE do not do that, PLEASE.

I can come back with constructive advice later, but right now I'm just so speechless.

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Oh my gosh I am in the same boat as you! I could not believe it when I read it, I had to read it about 10 times. I would NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER tape a dogs mouth shut... okay maybe if the dog was a biter & it needed medical attention or something but even then not for hours at a time ESPECISLLY with summer coming. The dog is going to need water, not to mention a million other things that could occur with that action.


as far as yelling at him for it I suggest not to as the dog is getting attention, that *may* be a reason as to why he is barking in the first place.
Has he had a geriatric vet exam? Hearing loss usually results in more or excessive barking. And with his age he may be getting confused more easily.


I would give him a schedule & stick to it, along with extra excersize & mental stimulation toys.
let him out at the same timne everyday, feed him at the same time, excersize him at the same time, preferably multiple times a day.


I'm kinda stressed on time but I'll check back i a day or 2 & add more!
Good luck

I will quote something out of the book I am reading. It is a little long, but you may find it extrememly useful.


All of us, I'm sure have encountered homes that are overseen by an overprotective dog. At the first sight, sound or smell of a passer-by the dog comes belting out, barking and bouncing around in the most animated way it can manage, pacing or even racing up and down the perimeter wall or fence of its domain as it does so.The message it is sending out is clear:you are dangerously close to my territory, stay away for your own good. Many people do exactly that. Such behaviour, particularly from a loud and agressive large breed of dog, can be a serious source of distress for passers-by. It is common for people to make a point of crossing the road or even making a detour so as to avoid confrontations. Children, in particular, can be terroriesed by such dogs. Of course, there are an unfortunate few owners who revel in their dog's aggressive reputation. Equally there an unpleaseant few passers-by who will deliberately inflame these animals, winding them up into an even greater frenzy in order to satisfy their warped sense of humour.
In most cases, however, the fact of the matter is that this behaviour is as upsetting for the owner and the dog as it is for the passer-by. The root cause of this problem, what I call 'boundary running', is of course territorial. The dog believes it is the leader of its pack and sees all approaches to the perimeter of its den as a potential attack on his domain. In the course of my time treating dogs, I have seen dogs that have become deeply distressed by the burden of this reponsisbility. One case springs to mind, in which the dog would run around the boundary of its owner's circular garden. The poor animal would run and run - in ever-decreasing circles yet in an ever-increasing state of anxiety. The good news, as two case histories will hopefully illustrate, is that boundary running is a relatively straightforward problem to treat.



If you want me to continue, I can. If not, tell me. If it doesn't sound like the case, that's ok. Its just hard for me to tell without really knowing the situation. I can tell you what the book sais about a border collie who barked at a neighbor when they walked by. If this sounds similar to your problem, feel free to let me know.